By Katie Kull
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
Via Wyoming News Exchange
CHEYENNE — Taylor Haynes may have received just 5 percent of the votes in Tuesday’s Republican primary, but the gubernatorial candidate is still facing legal action over questions about his residency.
Will Dinneen, a spokesman for the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office, wrote in an email that a Laramie County District Court judge will hold evidentiary hearings two days in late January related to a question about Haynes’ residency.
The Laramie doctor came under fire weeks before the primary election after the Secretary of State’s Office received an anonymous tip alleging that Haynes actually lived on the Colorado side of his ranch that straddles Wyoming’s southern border, violating state elections law.
The Secretary of State’s Office sued through the Attorney General’s Office, asking a Laramie County judge to suspend Haynes’ campaign, expedite court proceedings before the election, and give the secretary of state legal authority to remove a candidate from the ballot after those forms had been certified and printed.
But Judge Thomas Campbell denied the request to suspend Haynes’ campaign before the election, saying approving the request would, in part, deny Haynes his due process rights to contest his residency status in a court of law.
The Secretary of State’s Office largely blamed Haynes for wanting to postpone the proceedings until after the election.
It still remains to be seen whether the state and all local canvassing boards will certify the election results, given that the residency of one of the candidates is still in question.
Most canvassing boards met Friday and certified the results, while statewide electoral officials will meet Wednesday to certify the statewide ballot.
It is also unclear whether the Secretary of State’s Office has taken any steps to improve vetting of candidates before they go on the ballot.
Dinneen said in an email that Secretary of State Ed Buchanan would be too busy to talk to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle about that issue until after the canvassing board had met to certify the election next week.